Chapter 189: The Royal Capital (Part 2)

  The new Cardinal, as a matter of course, should have met with His Majesty the Emperor, but Grafenhardt XVII had already left on his southern tour. Therefore, the Cardinal would naturally not be able to meet His Majesty the Emperor this time.

  For the emperor to go on a tour while his beloved empress was ill, this was clearly not his own will, but rather the unanimous decision of the High Priest, Chancellor Mrak, and Commander Roland. If this young emperor were to face the complex political issues brought by the Cardinal himself, it was undoubtedly beyond his capabilities. The intricate web of relationships between those issues, let alone mishandling them, even a single lapse in composure or a slip of the tongue could lead to trouble. A Cardinal sent by His Majesty the Pope would not be someone easily fooled. So rather than staying here, it was better to go out, leaving Chancellor Mrak, Rodhart, and the others to give them more space to fully utilize their abilities.

  However, it wasn't just the two of them. On the contrary, after meeting with the Cardinal, both of them spoke very little and had somewhat strange expressions. Instead, it was High Priest Ryan who was the first to open the offensive: "For someone as young as you, Lord Javi, to gain the appreciation and trust of His Majesty the Pope and be granted the position of Cardinal at this time is truly unprecedented in the Church's history. You are truly a prodigy. In my view, your cultivation in both martial arts and magic is indeed extraordinary and profound."

  "Not at all, you flatter me." The Cardinal smiled faintly. He could naturally tell this was a prelude, and what was to be said next was the real topic.

  High Priest Ryan sighed. "Speaking of which, we really do have a difficult problem recently. Her Majesty the Empress has been slightly unwell. Unfortunately, our cultivation in white magic is truly shallow, and we are powerless to help with Her Majesty's condition. So we have all been waiting for your arrival, Your Excellency the Bishop. With your profound and vast light magic, you will surely be able to relieve Her Majesty the Empress of her illness."

  Although both of them were somewhat distracted, upon hearing High Priest Ryan's words, the expressions of Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart simultaneously became somewhat unnatural, but neither of them spoke. Using this matter as a ploy made both of them uncomfortable, but more importantly, they had to admit that this was indeed a good method.

  The illness of Her Majesty the Empress could now be said to be a major source of worry for the entire upper echelon of the royal capital. Although she had already been treated by two priests well-versed in healing white magic, apart from discovering some slight, strange fluctuations within the Empress's body, there were no other obvious pathological changes. Yet, the white magic, which should be absolutely beneficial and harmless to the human body, actually caused her to have adverse reactions. Summoning the imperial physicians and healers from the Magic Academy for discussion and research also yielded no definite conclusions.

  As long as this Cardinal refused or declined, it would naturally be a show of weakness, which would count as an initial show of power, and everything after that would be easy to handle. But if this young Cardinal acted recklessly and worsened Her Majesty the Empress's condition, that would provide an even better handle and pretext. It was just that Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart would rather such a thing not happen.

  The new Cardinal frowned and asked, "May I ask what illness Her Majesty the Empress has? That even the priests of the Magic Academy are helpless? As far as I know, the Magic Academy's accomplishments in magic concerning the body are already the foremost on the continent..."

  High Priest Ryan revealed a strange expression, one that couldn't be said to be either happy or sad, and said: "It's precisely that we don't even know what this illness is. Clearly, there is no visible sign of disease in Her Majesty the Empress's body, nor any malevolent disease, toxins, or plagues within her, yet Her Majesty the Empress is always listless and without appetite, unable to eat or drink. Moreover, Her Majesty's body seems to have some rejection and discomfort towards our white magic. We consulted our records and inferred that this is probably a very rare type of tumor. But this should not be a problem for you, Your Excellency the Bishop. Celeste is a holy land in the eyes of all light mages, and you are a genius among them. Your white magic must be pure and profound. You surely will not disappoint us."

  Bishop Javi frowned slightly and thought for a moment, then revealed a willing, brilliant smile, nodded and replied: "Very well, then allow me to exert my meager strength to relieve Her Majesty of her worries and difficulties."

  Half a day later, Bishop Javi immediately arrived at the imperial palace, accompanied by the High Priest, Chancellor Mrak, and Rodhart. Several priests and clerics followed behind them.

  Although the emperor was absent, the ailing Empress still received the Cardinal in the great hall. Her face was even paler. Although she didn't appear noticeably thin, the listless look in her eyes appeared even more desolate and haggard.

  When she first saw that the new Cardinal was so young, Her Majesty the Empress also showed an expression of extreme surprise. Then, upon hearing that this Cardinal would diagnose and treat her, she said with a slightly panicked expression: "There's no need to trouble Your Excellency the Bishop. I actually just need to rest quietly..."

  High Priest Ryan coughed twice and said: "Your Majesty the Empress, Bishop Javi came here specially for you. It would not be appropriate for you to refuse like this."

  The Empress looked at Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart. Both of their faces also showed expressions of being both troubled and wanting to speak but hesitating, but in the end, they both nodded.

  "Do not be afraid, Your Majesty. The light of the Lord can sweep away all pain." The Cardinal revealed a smile as brilliant as the sun, and extended his hand to place it on Her Majesty the Empress's forehead. The Empress flinched slightly but still sat quietly and closed her eyes.

  "The Lord pities the people of the world, illuminating the world with incomparable radiance, removing all..." Bishop Javi softly recited the prayer, and a faint white magical light glowed from his palm.

  The Empress suddenly let out a soft muffled groan, her body trembling. Under the illumination of the white magic light, her face turned as white as a piece of repeatedly bleached paper; not only was it without a trace of blood, it seemed as if even the slightest sign of life had disappeared.

  "Eh?" Bishop Javi also withdrew his hand, a look of surprise and doubt on his face.

  Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart both came forward with panicked expressions on their faces. If it weren't for the fact that Her Majesty the Empress was still sitting there and the discomfort on her face wasn't too severe, they would have thought she was dead just from the look on her face. Only High Priest Ryan's face held a barely detectable smile: "Your Excellency the Bishop. I'm afraid it's still..."

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  Just at this moment, Bishop Javi suddenly raised his hand.

  His gaze remained fixed on the Empress, but the constant smile on his face disappeared, replaced by solemnity and thought. This expression, appearing on his face which had been smiling until now, the suddenly erupted bearing and aura were actually felt clearly by everyone. Everyone also unconsciously stopped their actions at his single raised hand. High Priest Ryan's words did not continue. Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart did not step forward again. All eyes were focused on him.

  Bishop Javi raised his head, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. His hand was placed once again on Her Majesty the Empress's head. This time, it was no longer just his hand that emitted the white magic light, but his entire body. With his action, the three people in the room couldn't help but have the illusion that he was no longer a person, but a divine statue containing divine power. A surging momentum, yet one that overflowed with tranquility, swept out from his expression, his body, his stance.

  Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart originally wanted to step forward to stop him, but under the Cardinal's majestic aura, they unconsciously remained still. It wasn't out of fear or any other emotion, but the self-assurance and confidence from that single raised hand moments ago made the others completely trust him.

  "The Lord says, pain exists, darkness is present, but faith can let you feel the light..." As the prayer was recited sentence by sentence from his mouth, the white magic light on Bishop Javi's body grew brighter and brighter, even engulfing his figure within it.

  The light grew brighter and stronger, the entire great hall was submerged by this sacred light. At the same time, a surging, powerful magical force also gushed forth. Everyone standing in the great hall could feel this wave-like magical fluctuation with their skin. A dense vitality and sacred light filled the great hall. Even every breath of air they inhaled seemed to make the body feel life and vitality, purifying all discomfort within the body.

  The expressions of surprise on the faces of the three, the High Priest included, grew heavier and heavier, but what they were surprised at was not the strength and intensity of the Cardinal's externally released magical power, but at his method of using magic. This was not the neutral and peaceful nature that white magic should have.

  A deep shout came from the dazzling white light, and at the same time, this ball of light also brightened to a peak. In the intense light and magical fluctuations, everyone could feel the great hall seem to tremble slightly.

  It wasn't just the people in the hall; even the priests and clerics standing outside could feel this strange tremor. But the great hall itself did not move; even the teacup on the table did not shake in the slightest. This was not an actually existing force, but a kind of momentum that could tug at a person's heart and soul, a force field.

  In the library of the Magic Academy. An old priest who was buried in his book suddenly raised his head, let out a surprised "hmm?", and looked in the direction of the palace.

  In the great hall, Bishop Javi was still standing there, but he had withdrawn his hand. The sweat all over his body had soaked his clothes. Although the fatigue on his face was heavy, the smile like the sun reappeared on his face. He smiled as he looked at Her Majesty the Empress.

  Her Majesty the Empress's eyes were already open, looking at the Cardinal before her with astonishment. A ruddy color appeared on her face; vitality and energy seemed to have returned to her body.

  Everyone let out a low gasp. The High Priest was astonished; Chancellor Mrak and Rodhart were pleasantly surprised; the serving maids beside them cheered.

  "What is it, Old Priest Tom?" In the library, several other young apprentice priests and magic apprentices turned their heads to look at the old man who had made the sound. They had just been discussing the new Cardinal; his age, similar to theirs, but his completely incomparable status, grace, and demeanor could all become countless topics of conversation.

  The old priest's face still wore an expression of doubt and uncertainty as he frowned and looked around, even wrinkling his nose and sniffing the air a few times.

  "What is it, really?" the few young people asked in surprise.

  The old priest looked at them, stared wide-eyed, and said in surprise, "It seems someone fucking farted."

  The few young people immediately burst into a chorus of boos and hisses, and one of them almost lost his footing and fell.

  "Oh, damn it, I knew this old man was acting crazy again."

  "My Lord, forgive this old fellow for his careless words in this sacred hall. I can testify he didn't do it on purpose, he's just a bit touched in the head."

  "Good Lord above, are you really a member of the clergy? I assure you that if you were in Celeste, you would already be on the burning stake."

  "Are you a dog's nose? We're all standing this close to each other and didn't smell anything, how did you smell it? It wasn't you, was it?"

  "You think you're like us, farting without regard for the occasion?"

  The old man spat in the direction of the few young people and said: "I never said it was you. Based on the few of you, you're not even qualified to smell this fart." He then frowned again and looked around, muttering to himself as if lost in thought: "Who could it be... seems to be the new guy..."

  "The new guy? You don't possibly mean that new Bishop, do you?" a magic apprentice said with a smile.

  "Oh, my Lord. You've been infected with this old man's madness."

  "Quick, go ask the Bishop to treat him... But before that, I think we should treat our stomachs first. The Lord says, it's time for lunch now." The few young people left laughing, leaving only the old priest sitting behind the librarian's counter in the vast library.

  The old priest closed his book, glanced in the direction of the royal palace, leaned back in his chair, and slowly closed his eyes. In the empty library, there was his inaudible mutter: "Maybe it really is this kid..."

  In the imperial palace, seeing Her Majesty the Empress's obviously ruddier complexion, everyone was moved.

  "Chris... Your Majesty, are you alright now?" A blush also appeared on Chancellor Mrak's face, but it was from excitement. She was the first to step forward and grasp the Empress's hand, but then paused. "But why is your hand still so cold?"

  The Empress nodded and forced a smile, saying: "Sister, I'm fine, I'm in good spirits. Thank you, Your Excellency the Bishop." Although her spirit and complexion had indeed improved a lot, this smile seemed somewhat forced.

  "Please rest assured, Miss Mrak." Bishop Javi also smiled at Chancellor Mrak. His smile was like a gentle spring breeze and light rain, seeping into the heart and lungs. "Her Majesty has just recovered from a serious illness, and her vital energy is still very weak. As long as she eats something and rests well, she will recover completely very soon."

  "That's truly wonderful. Your Majesty. You can eat something now." The delight on Rodhart's face was certainly not an act. From any perspective, he was more concerned about the Empress's health than anyone else. But the Empress just glanced at him, and the worry in her eyes mixed with something else made him pause.

  "Your Excellency the Bishop's white magic is truly extraordinary. This illness, which had stumped countless physicians and priests, was dispelled so effortlessly in your hands. It is truly admirable. The recovery of Her Majesty the Empress's illness is also a joyous event of immense proportions." High Priest Ryan coughed twice. Although his words were full of praise and flattery, there was not the slightest hint of joy in them. He had never imagined that this strange illness, which had stumped everyone, would actually be cured by this young man. This time, not only did they fail to give him an initial show of power, but it seemed that his successful treatment had gained him a considerable amount of political capital.

  "Miss Mrak, I am tired. I think I need to rest now." Bishop Javi turned to Chancellor Mrak and said. "Her Majesty's body is still very weak and needs quiet recuperation. She cannot be disturbed for the time being."

  "I understand. The Magic Academy has already prepared a place for you to rest, Your Excellency. High Priest Ryan will take you there immediately." Mrak Chancellor gave a few instructions to the serving maids to arrange for the Empress to rest.

  "By the way. Your Majesty." As he was leaving, Bishop Javi, as if suddenly remembering something, turned back and called out to the Empress. The smile on his face was still as brilliant and open, and even his words carried the warm flavor of sunshine: "Your Majesty, I'll give you a piece of advice: eat what you should eat. You don't need to force yourself."

  It had already been half a day since Bishop Javi returned to the Magic Academy. Night had fallen.

  In the imperial palace, thanks to the Cardinal's miraculous healing, anyone could see that Her Majesty the Empress's complexion was much better, and her spirits were much more abundant. She was no longer lying motionless on her couch; on the contrary, she was so full of energy that she even seemed strangely agitated.

  "Your Majesty, His Excellency the Bishop said you must eat something to recover. This porridge was carefully prepared by the imperial chefs..."

  "Take it away, get lost, get lost..." Her Majesty the Empress's spirits had indeed completely recovered, even her temper was worse than usual, as if she had returned to the irascible temperament of her maidenhood. She paced back and forth in her bedchamber, restlessly looking at the serving maid holding the bowl of porridge.

  "Your Majesty, aren't you hungry? Is there something else you would like to eat? I can go get it for you." the serving maid asked cautiously. She was quite familiar with the Empress's habits; the Empress's favorite food was not that of the imperial chefs, but the various snacks from the street vendors outside.

  "Hungry?" Her Majesty the Empress stood still, as if this word had truly moved her. She turned her head to look at the serving maid.

  The Empress stared at the serving maid, the blush on her face growing deeper, and her breathing a bit rougher.

  The serving maid unconsciously took a step back. She did indeed see the appetite in the Empress's eyes that she expected to see, but the light emanating from those originally beautiful eyes made her back feel a chill.

  The Empress walked over, reached out, and grabbed the serving maid's shoulders. Her gaze fell upon the serving maid's snow-white neck. She swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

  Suddenly, the Empress's body trembled. She almost shoved and pushed the serving maid out of the bedchamber, then slammed the door shut with a "bang". From inside came her somewhat hysterical voice: "Who said I was hungry? I'm not hungry at all, I'm not hungry..."